CAPITAL PUNISHMENTPresentation by Ingmar May & Zeno Ziemke(K13-2, GK English Treis, 16.02.11)

Outline

Brief historical overview Capital Punishment Today Methods used in the U.S. Selected Punishable Crimes Pros and Cons Capital Punishment in other countries

Overview For Apostasy China Germany

Brief Historical Overview

came to the U.S. with the first British settlers

1791: Bill of Rights 8th Amendment – no "cruel and unusual punishment" allowed.

1960s: Moratorium on executions  1972: capital punishment declared as

unconstitutional  1976: capital punishment restored by

the United States Supreme Court Up until today: surrounded by controversy

Capital Punishment Today

2010:~40 executions ~3186 inmates on death row

Executions are often mass eventsMedia reports, People watch/wait outsideMost Americans support it

Which is the country with the highest number of executions of minors?

Every year in the U.S. there‘re more under-aged persons killed than in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Libya together.

Lethal Injection

primary method in the U.S. Used in 36 states + U.S.

Military and U.S. Government

1066 executions since 1976

Considered as most „humane“ method

Causes immediate death  Two cannula used, one for

each arm, 2nd as backup Three different drugs:

1st: unconsciousness 2nd: muscle paralysis 3rd: stops the heart

Electric Chair

Former main method in the U.S.

Now secondary method in 9 States:e.g. Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Virginia

prisoners may choose it as alternative to lethal injection

157 executions since 1976

Cruelest method

Gas Chamber

2nd most „humane“ method

Used in 4 states  11 executions

since 1976

Judicial Hanging

Only retained in Washington and New Hampshire

Short drop Takes between ten and

twenty minutes for the convict to die

Standard drop Improvement: person's

neck breaks immediately Long drop

 height, used to determine required dropping distance => ensure that neck breaks

Only 3x since 1976

 Firing Squad

Optional method in Utah

3 executions since 1976

Ronnie Lee Gardner(June 18, 2010)

Map of Captial Punishment in the U.S.

Selected Punishable Crimes

Crime: Jurisdiction:

All kinds of murder

Treason (fighting against your own country)

Federal and Military courts, AR, CA, CO, GA, LA

Aggravated Kidnapping CO, GA, ID, KY, SC

Sex Crimes against a victim younger than 14 by a repeat offender

OK

Willfully causing a Train Wreck

CA

Perjury (lying under oath) CA, ID

Drug Trafficking FL, NJ

+ AGGRAVATING FACTORS crime has to be heinous (ruchlos), cruel, or depraved (verwerflich) (or involving torture)

The Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment

ProsSafetyDeterrenceAppropriate punishment/vengeanceCostLife of the vicitm > murder

Consethical acceptanceNo effect on crime ratesnot humaneRisk of wrongful executions

Minimum age in the U.S.

Executions in the U.S. since 1976

Overview - Capital Punishment in other countries

Capital Punishment in other countries

● Methods: beheading, hanging, lethal injection, shooting, stoning, stabbing

● Selected punishable crimes (not effective in the U.S.): drug-related offences, rape (incl. paedophilia), treason, adultery, apostasy, piracy, terrorism, homosexual intercourse

● International organisations demand a Moratorium

Apostasy

Apostasy

Mauritania

SudanSomalia

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

Iraq

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Pfeile in anderer Farbe bitte ;)

Republic of China

● Most people worldwide executed

● Method: Lethal injection (since 2008)

● Selected punishable crimes:

● - corruption

● - tax evasion

● - procuration

● - …

● Organ trafficking

Germany

● While the „Grundgesetz“ was elaborated, Hans-Christoph Seebohm (DP) suggested, to abolish the Capital Punishment

● 1949: Art. 102, GG: „ The death penalty is abolished“

● Though: The last execution occured in 1951 (seven former NS-war criminals)

● Capital punishment → lifelong penal servitude

● Art. 102 is nearly unneccessary

● → Art 1. Abs. 1 GG (human dignity)

● Last execution in the SBZ/DDR in 1972